The year starts for us here at Lus at the Winter Solstice, with the slow clearing of the flower beds and the planning of what those beds will hold in the coming seasons. I use the no-dig method, which means the natural soil structures are left undisturbed. Midwinter is one of my favourite times of the year. I love seeing all the beds stretched out under their blankets of compost mulch, full of possibilities. This is when the seed packets come out and are sorted through, to see what will go where and what will need to be sown in early spring.
Around about six weeks before the last frost, I begin sowing seeds into soil-blocks. This method means I don't need to use plastic trays or pots, which is important to me as I try to use as little plastic as possible on the farm. I think this is possibly my favourite part of flower farming - sowing seeds is the ultimate act of hope. In the moment, it seems impossible that this tiny speck in my palm will, within months, become a sprawling explosion of flowers. But I sow it anyway, and watch with ever-renewed wonder as they germinate and grow into sturdy seedlings.
Once the soil warms up, around mid-May time, I start planting out the seedlings. From then on I'm seeding, transplanting, pinching out and harvesting flowers, right through the growing season until October. I don't use any pesticides or fungicides on the farm - nature takes care of all that herself!
As all the busy field work is going on, I'm also designing flowers for weddings, arranging gift bouquets, delivering to florists, and hanging flowers to dry, which I'll use in October and November to create dried flower wreaths, hair combs and ornaments.
In November and December the flower field is resting, but I'm busy facilitating Christmas wreath-making workshops, and making Christmas wreaths to order. All of which I love!